New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that teachers should be open to upgrading their skills or they could quit, while declining to entertain a plea by local body teachers in Bihar challenging a competency test, which has been introduced by the state to enhance the quality of education in schools located in rural areas.
A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan stressed that teachers help build the nation and strongly criticized the teachers for even thinking they can let go of the competency test, while upholding the state law.
"We are interested in the education of children in the country, particularly in the state of Bihar. If any teacher does not want to comply with this rule, let them resign", observed the bench. The apex court made it clear that if teachers' wish to serve the students, then they would have to take the competency examination.
"Is this the level of education in the country? A postgraduate who gets a job and cannot even write an application for leave?", said the bench. It further added that when a state attempts to improve the system and conducts a qualifying examination, then it is opposed, and added, "If you cannot face these tests, then leave."
The bench made these observations while hearing a plea filed by two groups of teachers employed in Panchayat-run schools in the state challenging the Bihar School Exclusive Teachers Rules, 2023. The rule mandates the teachers' to take the competency exam.
The petitioners' moved the apex court after they failed to succeed in the Bihar High Court regarding their challenge to the 2023 rule. In April this year, the High Court declined to provide any relief to the petitioners’.
The state government had contended that it was an optional test and there is no sacking of teachers', who do not take the test. The state said that teachers', who clear the test would be put at par with the state government teachers.
The High Court had said that this was a good opportunity for the Niyojit teachers to get parity with existing state government teachers. The petitioners' had argued that teachers had proved their competence when their services were regulated by the Bihar Panchayat Teachers Rules, 2012. Junking the petitions filed by teachers’, the top court said that any rule by the state which says we have to upgrade the skill of teachers is good.
